Vittorio Baldini
Encyclopedia
Vittorio Baldini was an Italian
printer and engraver. He started publishing in Venice
, where he was born, and later moved to Ferrara
, joining the court of Duke Alfonso II d'Este in mid-to-late 1582, where he was the official ducal music printer. He may have met the duke through Giulio Cesare Brancaccio
, whose translation and commentary on Julius Caesar
's Commentarii de Bello Gallico
Baldini printed in early 1582.
His first work as ducal music printer, and indeed his first print of music, was an anthology of madrigals
, Il lauro secco (1582), written by the most renowned composers of Rome
and Northern Italy, as well as introducing important new composers, and was inspired by Laura Peverara
. He later printed the anthology Il lauro verde (1583), meant as a companion to Il lauro secco, and presented to Peverara on the occasion of her marriage in late February 1583.
Baldini published very little music for Alfonso between 1586 and 1594, and began publishing regularly again 1594-1596, when he printed anthologies containing madrigals by some of the most important madrigalists of the seconda pratica
, including Luzzasco Luzzaschi
, Carlo Gesualdo
, and Alfonso Fontanelli
, all of whom were part of the Este court at the time. These books, however, may have been funded by Gesualdo, who was at the court for his marriage to Leonora d'Este. During the period Baldini printed little for Alfonso; he did print a number of treatises on music and art, including those by Giovanni Battista Aleotti and Ercole Bottrigari
. After Ferrara devolved to the papacy, Baldini published under the imprint of "Episcopal or State Printer and Printer to the Academy of the Intrepidi." During this period he printed descriptions and texts for various intermezzos and other theatrical entertainments.
Baldini's works are set apart by the beauty of the lettering, the finery of their engraving, beautiful title pages, and high quality paper. He used a number of signs, including a bell, Daedalus
, and the sun.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
printer and engraver. He started publishing in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, where he was born, and later moved to Ferrara
Ferrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
, joining the court of Duke Alfonso II d'Este in mid-to-late 1582, where he was the official ducal music printer. He may have met the duke through Giulio Cesare Brancaccio
Giulio Cesare Brancaccio
Giulio Cesare Brancaccio was a courtier, cavalier, actor, writer, and singer in a number of northern Italian courts throughout the sixteenth century, most notably the court at Ferrara.He was born in Naples to a noble family...
, whose translation and commentary on Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
's Commentarii de Bello Gallico
Commentarii de Bello Gallico
Commentarii de Bello Gallico is Julius Caesar's firsthand account of the Gallic Wars, written as a third-person narrative. In it Caesar describes the battles and intrigues that took place in the nine years he spent fighting local armies in Gaul that opposed Roman domination.The "Gaul" that Caesar...
Baldini printed in early 1582.
His first work as ducal music printer, and indeed his first print of music, was an anthology of madrigals
Madrigal (music)
A madrigal is a secular vocal music composition, usually a partsong, of the Renaissance and early Baroque eras. Traditionally, polyphonic madrigals are unaccompanied; the number of voices varies from two to eight, and most frequently from three to six....
, Il lauro secco (1582), written by the most renowned composers of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and Northern Italy, as well as introducing important new composers, and was inspired by Laura Peverara
Laura Peverara
Laura Peverara or Peperara was an Italian virtuoso singer who was also a harpist and dancer; born and raised in Mantua. Her father, Vincenzo, was a merchant, an intellectual who tutored princes, leading to Laura being brought up in courtly society...
. He later printed the anthology Il lauro verde (1583), meant as a companion to Il lauro secco, and presented to Peverara on the occasion of her marriage in late February 1583.
Baldini published very little music for Alfonso between 1586 and 1594, and began publishing regularly again 1594-1596, when he printed anthologies containing madrigals by some of the most important madrigalists of the seconda pratica
Seconda pratica
Seconda prattica, literally "second practice", is the counterpart to prima pratica and is more commonly referred to as Stile moderno. The term "Seconda prattica" was coined by Claudio Monteverdi to distance his music from that of e.g...
, including Luzzasco Luzzaschi
Luzzasco Luzzaschi
Luzzasco Luzzaschi was an Italian composer, organist, and teacher of the late Renaissance. He was born and died in Ferrara, and despite evidence of travels to Rome it is assumed that Luzzaschi spent the majority of his life in his native city.As a pupil of Cipriano de Rore, Luzzaschi developed...
, Carlo Gesualdo
Carlo Gesualdo
Carlo Gesualdo, known as Gesualdo di Venosa or Gesualdo da Venosa , Prince of Venosa and Count of Conza, was an Italian nobleman, lutenist, composer, and murderer....
, and Alfonso Fontanelli
Alfonso Fontanelli
Alfonso Fontanelli was an Italian composer, writer, diplomat, courtier, and nobleman of the late Renaissance...
, all of whom were part of the Este court at the time. These books, however, may have been funded by Gesualdo, who was at the court for his marriage to Leonora d'Este. During the period Baldini printed little for Alfonso; he did print a number of treatises on music and art, including those by Giovanni Battista Aleotti and Ercole Bottrigari
Ercole Bottrigari
Ercole Bottrigari was an Italian scholar, mathematician, poet, music theorist, architect, and composer. The illegitimate son of Giovanni Battista Bottrigari, he was legitimized in 1538 and raised in his household in Bologna...
. After Ferrara devolved to the papacy, Baldini published under the imprint of "Episcopal or State Printer and Printer to the Academy of the Intrepidi." During this period he printed descriptions and texts for various intermezzos and other theatrical entertainments.
Baldini's works are set apart by the beauty of the lettering, the finery of their engraving, beautiful title pages, and high quality paper. He used a number of signs, including a bell, Daedalus
Daedalus
In Greek mythology, Daedalus was a skillful craftsman and artisan.-Family:...
, and the sun.
Partial list of publications
- Commentarii de Bello Gallico (1582) translation and commentary by Giulio Cesare Brancaccio
- Il lauro verde (1583)
- Il lauro secco (1582)
- La deca istoriale (1586) Francesco PatriziFrancesco PatriziFranciscus Patricius was a philosopher and scientist from the Republic of Venice. He was known as a defender of Platonism and an opponent of Aristotelianism...
- La deca disputata (1586) Francesco Patrizi
- Gli artifitiosi et curiosi moti spiritali di Herrone (1589) Giovanni Battista Aleotti
- Della poesia rappresentativa (1598) Marc'Antonio Ingegneri
- Il melone (1602) Ercole Bottrigari
- Filli di Sciro (1607) Guidobaldo Bonarelli della Rovere
- Intermezzi (1610, 1612, 1614) Giovanni Battista GuariniGiovanni Battista GuariniGiovanni Battista Guarini was an Italian poet, dramatist, and diplomat.- Life :He was born in Ferrara, and spent his early life both in Padua and Ferrara, entering the service of Alfonso II d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, in 1567...